Does anyone have any info on when tours of the Coso petroglyphs will be offered? Do I need to contact the navy base directly or is there a community organization that runs the tours? Is there any way of just going out there with an individual pass?

Coso Rock Art ToursThis page contains a lot of info about the rock art found in the Coso Range. It also has contact info for how to visit the area.

The Coso region, located within the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, in the desert of interior southern California, is home to some of the most spectacular displays of Native American rock art anywhere on the continent.

The Rock Art Engravings of the Coso RangeThis page has a lot of info about the Coso petroglyphs.

In a 90 square-mile area of eastern California, 35,000 petroglyphs have been formally recorded. A conservative estimate suggests an excess of 100,000. Why was this area, now known as the Coso Range, adorned with such a concentration of strikingly beautiful and highly consistent rock engravings, predominantly those of bighorn sheep?

I noticed at the link listed above for the Maturango Museum that they offer school tours. It would be really neat if local school kids could go on a petroglyph tour. Anyone know if the schools here in Trona have ever taken advantage of this opportunity? Of course, whatever grade wound up going would have to be a grade with kids over the age of ten. Apparently the don't want little kids wiping their dirty hands all over the rock art!

I'm not aware of the school taking advantage of this opportunity. It sure would be a great experience for the students. Not only would they learn something about something of historical significance, they'd also do a little hiking and get some exercise as a result. Some of the kids spend way too much time playing video games and could use some exercise!

Looking around the dvplants.com website I came across this:Coso Wilderness (May 2012)I do believe that's the facility located on Coso Peak (8,160 feet) located inside Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. I wonder how Mr. Blackturtle.us got close enough to take the picture... Hmmm....

MojaveMike wrote:I do believe that's the facility located on Coso Peak (8,160 feet) located inside Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. I wonder how Mr. Blackturtle.us got close enough to take the picture... Hmmm....

I was just north of the boundary (which happens to be unmarked) at an elevation of about 7500 feet. I do my best to stay out of military land although sometimes I do wander in a little ways as a result of a lack of boundary markers.

Back in the day I wandered in pretty far onto the bases around here on several occasions. It been a few years since I've been up to that sort of exploring, but blackturtle's right. Most of the boundaries aren't marked at all. You can get a couple miles in and not realize it unless you check the map carefully at several junctures around the perimeter of the local bases.

I heard something about the base or the museum training people to lead petroglyph tours. I'm not sure what it takes to qualify, but it sounds like a good opportunity to be able to visit the Coso area on a regular basis.